TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s stock market closed lower Thursday as expectations for a ceasefire weakened following a US address by President Donald Trump on the Iran war.

The Taiwan Capitalization Weighted Stock Index, or TAIEX, fell 602.39 points to close at 32,572.43. Turnover totaled NT$672.9 billion (US$21 billion), according to CNA and CTEE.

For the week, the TAIEX declined 540.16 points. Taiwan’s stock market will be closed on Friday and Monday for holidays, with trading set to resume on April 7, according to CNA and Stockfeel.

TSMC fell 2.43% to NT$1,810. Foxconn declined 2.03% to NT$193, Delta Electronics dropped 3.05% to NT$1,430, and MediaTek ended unchanged at NT$1,465.

Silicon photonics-related stocks outperformed the broader market, supported by continued interest in high-speed data transmission technologies. Browave rose 9.93%, while LandMark Optoelectronics gained 5.49%, according to Sinotrade.

Memory stocks showed mixed performance following the late-March introduction of TurboQuant by Google researchers. Macronix International, Transcend Information, and Innodisk moved higher.

Winbond Electronics, Nanya Technology, Elite Semiconductor Microelectronics Technology, Supreme Electronics, Adata Technology, Etron Technology, and Phison Electronics declined. The data compression method is reported to reduce AI model memory requirements by at least sixfold, raising concerns about potential impacts on memory chip demand.

Printed circuit board-related stocks advanced, supported by AI server demand. Glotech Industrial and Taiflex Scientific hit their daily limit, while Unimicron rose more than 6%.

Kinsus Interconnect Technology, Amia, and Iteq also posted gains. As foundational components in electronic devices, PCBs are seeing increased demand as next-generation AI servers require larger sizes, more layers, and higher-end materials, contributing to tighter supply and rising prices, according to Yahoo Stocks.

Senior analyst Chien Po-yi (簡伯儀) said trading volume has declined since late February, reflecting a more cautious stance among investors, particularly ahead of the holiday period. From a technical perspective, short-term moving averages, including the five-day, 10-day, and monthly lines, are trending lower, according to CTEE.

Looking ahead to the market’s opening on April 7, external uncertainties remain. Key factors to watch include war in the Middle East, shipping conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, trends in international oil prices and their potential impact on global inflation, and the performance of US markets.

Despite recent losses, the TAIEX is still holding near its quarterly support level. If no major developments occur over the holiday, the market is expected to remain relatively stable.

Separately, SpaceX has reportedly confidentially filed for an initial public offering with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, with a potential listing expected as early as June. The development has drawn investor attention to low-Earth orbit satellite-related stocks, which have become a recent focus in stock selection.

Over the medium to long term, key AI-related sectors, including silicon photonics, Ajinomoto Build-up Film substrates, advanced packaging, and LEO satellites, are expected to remain the main focus of investor interest.

This information is not intended as personalized financial advice. Investors should conduct their own research before making investment decisions.